More News

On June 7, I spent the majority of the wee hours tossing and turning. For some reason I could not fall off to sleep. Was it a foreboding? A premonition?

Finally falling asleep, I didn't hear the first call at 6:30 a.m. or the e-mail that buzzed my BlackBerry. A few hours later, when our city clerk called to tell me what she had just seen driving by Chestnut Lodge, I learned of the excruciating event there and, perhaps, the cause of my sleeplessness.

Within minutes, I was standing on West Montgomery Avenue staring in disbelief at the smoking, smoldering ruins of the once grand circa 1889 Woodlawn Hotel/Chestnut Lodge Sanitarium. Minutes later our deputy city clerk, followed shortly by the former Rockville mayor and county executive, Doug Duncan, and his wife, Barbara, came. At that moment, standing among friends who also share a love for Rockville and our rich history, brought a certain feeling of comfort.

Losing an icon of such magnitude is a harsh reminder of how fragile even the sturdiest of landmarks can be, how important it is to relish our past, hold on to our memories and use them as our foundation for tomorrow.

Looking at what was left of the building, I couldn't help but think of what might have been. Although vacant for many years, the future of the structure had finally been decided. Chestnut Lodge Properties was planning to restore it and bring life back to the beautiful building with a seven-unit condominium. A snapshot glimpse back in time to the turn of the last century with the promise of life going forward in this century — something I looked forward to with great anticipation. Chase Communities, the owner of Chestnut Lodge Properties, has initially indicated that they might rebuild. If so, a reminder of what once was, will fill the space, but will it be enough to eliminate the sadness we feel?

I am grateful to the firefighters' quick response and, under County Executive Ike Leggett, the determination to find the cause. Working together we will know why, but will it be enough to eliminate the sadness we feel?

Some wonder how bricks and mortar bring about such emotion. It was more than just a building. It was an old, dear friend we could always look forward to seeing as we drove by on West Montgomery Avenue. It opened as a place of joy and relaxation; and later became a place of healing. It starred in the movie "Lilith" and stood for more than 100 years as a Rockville landmark. Now it is gone, we have our memories and the future will be bright. Farewell, old friend.

Susan Hoffmann, Rockville

The writer is mayor of Rockville.